The Western Air Temple
by Author of the Insane
Summary: Zuko can't convince the Gaang he deserves a second chance. Moreover, he can't convince himself. NOT Related to Legend of the Guardian!


The war balloon sailed through the skies, the Fire Nation growing ever distant behind it. The balloon's sole occupant didn't even look back, his hand wrapped tightly around one of the balloon's ropes as his eyes watched for another airborne behemoth: the bison of the Avatar. Prince Zuko, or former Prince now that he had spurned his father and committed high treason, looked out at the open sky, feeling freer than he'd ever felt. He felt that he had finally done the right thing in leaving the Fire Nation. Now, a new destiny awaited him, as well as a new set of challenges.

Zuko knew the invasion would fail. Azula had planned everything in advanced, ensuring the defeat of the invaders. Still, Zuko had faith that the Avatar and his friends would escape, and he was not disappointed. He recognized the bison immediately, even in the armor that the group had outfitted it with, as it flew away from the burning docks of the Gates of Azulon. It made it easy to follow them, though he already had a good idea of where they were going. They were headed predominantly west, and there was only one place the Avatar would know of that was safe: The Western Air temple.

The war balloon touched down in a small clearing in the woods, Zuko dismounting. He knew from experience that the bison often got tired and would not be able to fly for a while. With the increased number of passengers, plus the heavy armor it wore, Zuko knew the group would no doubt walk the final leg to the Temple. This gave Zuko time to set up camp, and contemplate his next move.

Having spent months as a refugee, both with his Uncle, and by himself, Zuko was an old hand at making camp. His hands automatically got to work as his mind began to wander. It had been easy to follow the Avatar and his group, but the hardest part was yet to come: convincing them to let him join. He'd spent the better part of a year chasing them down, kidnapping them or attempting to kill them. More than that, he'd already spurned their attempts at friendship on multiple occasions. The first was after he'd rescued the Avatar from Zhao, and the second was back in Ba Sing Se. He could still see the look of anger and betrayal on the Waterbender's face, and knew his chances with her were slim.

"_Try nonexistent,_" A small voice in the back of his mind let out, one Zuko forced back almost immediately.

It took Zuko a moment to realize he had not moved in a while, his darkened thoughts making him stop in his tracks. He shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs as he finished up the last touches on his camp. Once he was certain everything was in place, Zuko grabbed for his swords. He went to put them on, but stopped. He looked at the blades, having a small debate in his mind. His standing with the Avatar and his friends was seated very firmly in the hostile zone. If he wanted a chance to speak to them, he'd have to show them he wasn't a threat and carrying swords would be a great hindrance to that. On the other hand, there was no guarantee this would not end in a fight, and he would need to defend himself, especially since they had several unknown factors now with them. If they attacked, there was a very good chance he'd be injured, if not killed.

"_No less than you deserve,"_ The dark part of his mind snorted.

Once more forcing those darkened thoughts back, Zuko dropped his swords. His status as a firebender was cause enough for concern. The swords would just make things worse. His decision made, Zuko left his camp, making his way towards the Western Air Temple.

…

The Western Air Temple was a massive complex built into the side of a huge cliff. The buildings were upside down in some cases with massive courtyards jutting out over the mist covered cliff. Over one of these courtyards, a single rope was thrown down. From it, Zuko descended, sliding down in front of a massive statue of an airbender. Once he was close enough to the ground, he swung back and forth twice before dropping onto the courtyard. Straightening up, Zuko looked around the temple, feeling a sense of nostalgia wash over him. His mind began to drift, taking him back to when he first came to the temple three years ago…

…

_The scar on his face was still fresh, the charred skin still aching and burning under the healing salves and bandages his ship's healers slathered it with. They were unsure if he would ever be able to see out of it again, and kept insisting he should try to rest. He ignored them, his rage and determination keeping him going. As such, he found himself at his first destination, the Western Air Temple. With him was his Uncle Iroh, who stared out at the cliffside with a look of awe._

"_What a stunning view," He mused._

"_The only view I'm interested in seeing is the Avatar in chains," Zuko snapped._

_Iroh sighed, approaching the prince._

"_You know, the Avatar hasn't been seen for one hundred years." He placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder in a rational manner. "The chances of finding him here are very slim."_

_Zuko shrugged off the hand, his fists clenched in determination._

"_First we'll check each of the air temples, and then we'll scour the world, searching even the most remote locations until we find them."_

"_Prince Zuko," Iroh called out, a tinge of worry and concern in his voice. "It's only been a week since your banishment. You should take some time to heal and rest."_

_His words had the opposite of their intended affect. Zuko turned to his uncle in anger and annoyance, getting in his face._

"_What else would I expect to hear from the laziest man in the Fire Nation?"_

_Iroh sighed, backing off as Zuko turned his attention back to the temple itself._

"_The only way for me to restore me honor is to find the Avatar," Zuko's head dropped a bit as his fists clenched. "So I will…"_

…

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose as a flood of disappointment washed over him. He had been so angry, so blind, and so unbelievably cruel. His Uncle had done nothing but try to help him, sticking with him when no one else would. His Uncle had been more of a father to him than even his own, and Zuko had done nothing but betray him and scorn him.

"_You hurt everyone you touch,_" His thoughts announced coldly. "_You're a horrible person._"

Zuko closed his eyes tightly, feeling the truth behind the words. He was so lost in thought that the sound of the Avatar's bison flying overhead nearly made him jump out of his skin. On instinct, he took cover behind a column, watching the creature fly right over his head. His own reaction, plus his overwhelming sense of self-loathing spurred Zuko to run, fleeing from the temple before the group spotted him.

…

Zuko stood in his camp, taking a deep breath before beginning to rehearse how he was going to introduce himself to the Avatar's group.

"Hello, Zuko here," he began, giving a small wave before realizing something and rubbing his head awkwardly, "but I guess you probably already know me, sort of."

He trailed off for a moment struggling to figure out what to say.

"Uhhh… so… the thing is, I have a lot of firebending experienced, and I'm considered to be pretty good at it."

He placed an arm on his chest, unable to keep a prideful smile off his face.

"Well, you've seen me. You know, when I was attacking you."

His eyes widened as he realized what he'd said, putting his fingers against his forehead in embarrassment and self-annoyance.

"Uhhh... yeah, I guess I should apologize for that." He admitted before waving an arm dismissively. "But anyways, I'm good now. I mean, I thought I was good before, but now I realize I was bad, but anyway…"

He began to droop, becoming uncomfortable with just how much he was fumbling. Still, he mustered the strength to straighten up, putting on a sincere expression and a more serious tone.

"I think it's time I joined your group, and taught the Avatar firebending."

There was a beat of silence, broken only by the low croaking of a badger frog, Zuko's audience to his attempted speech. Seeing it just staring at him, anger washed over Zuko as he snapped at it.

"Well?!" He demanded. "What's your answer?!"

The badger frog jumped onto his head, then hopped off, leaving Zuko alone. He sighed, dropping his head in disappointment.

"Yeah... that's what I'd say, too," He let out, dropping to the ground. "How am I going to convince these people I'm on their side?"

"_You're not,_" The dark part of his mind insisted. "_They'll never trust you. Nor should they. You betrayed your uncle, the only one who ever cared about you. If you can cast him aside, what's to stop you from turning on them?_"

Zuko put his head in his hands, screwing his eyes shut as his fingers entangled in his hair. His own thoughts were rebelling against him, reminding him of just how badly he'd screwed up. He couldn't even convince himself that he deserved a chance, and the growing lump of fear in his stomach was beginning to make him feel nauseous. He took several deep breaths, trying to steady his nerves and settle his stomach.

"I have to do this," He said quietly. "They're the world's only chance… my only chance."

Forcing himself to rise, Zuko steeled himself and prepared to head back to the Air Temple.

…

Zuko made it back to the Western Air Temple around the beginnings of sunset. Descending down onto the awning the Avatar's group had designated as their camp, Zuko could see two figures flitting through the sky. One was the Avatar, riding on his glider, though it was different from the one Zuko remembered. The second was the bison, stripped of its armor and with the main members of the Avatar's gang on its back. Zuko stood on the awning, watching the two figures and hearing what sounded like an argument going on.

"Aang, can we talk about you learning firebending now?" the Waterbender requested.

"What?" The Avatar- _Aang,_ called out, clearly feigning an inability to hear. "The wind is too loud in my ears! Check out this loop!"

The Avatar-

"_Aang,_" Zuko mentally recited. "_His name is Aang. I can't keep referring to him like he's not a person. Not if I want his trust._"

Aang performed a large loop in the air, giving the bison a chance to catch up. Both then began descending towards the awning, Zuko's body instinctively forcing him backwards and away from immediate sight.

"Aang, I think we should be making some plans about our future!" The Water Tribe boy, whose name Zuko could never remember, chimed in, voicing the same concerns as his sister.

"Alright Sokka." Aang assured him nonchalantly. "We can do that while I show you the giant Pai Sho table!"

Both parties landed, Sokka and the Waterbender quickly descending from the bison as Aang continued to list off distractions.

"Oh, and you're gonna love the all-day echo chamber." Aang insisted.

At that moment, the fourth member of the Ava- Aang's group descended from the bison. She was an Earthbender, but that was the extent Zuko knew about her. He'd only met her one during his travels, and he didn't know what to expect from her. Once she slid off the bison and hit the ground, Zuko swore he heard a thud. Her entire body seemed to stiffen, and though she had his back to him, he felt as if she was staring right at him.

"I think that will have to wait." She declared seriously, pointing right at him.

The entire group turned to him and they all gasped in shock and fear. Their gazes now locked on him, Zuko felt his brain stall. Wanting to break the tension, he did the first thing that came to mind.

"Hello," He greeted, giving a small wave. "Zuko here."

Almost immediately, all four of them were in attack positions. Aang had his staff out, pointed at him in an offensive manner. The waterbender uncorked her water skin, ready to attack at a moment's notice. Sokka had his boomerang out in seconds, looking ready to kill at a moment's notice. The Earthbender slipped into an attack stance, one Zuko didn't recognize but was not about to underestimate. Seeing that all four of them looked ready to kill him, Zuko did his best not to move and to keep his hands in plain sight, silently grateful he'd left his swords behind.

"Hey, I heard you guys flying around up there, so, I just thought I'd wait for you here."

As he said this, the bison suddenly moved towards him. It roared loudly at Zuko, and for a brief moment, Zuko feared the giant beast would eat him. His fears were unfounded as a massive tongue suddenly licked the entire right side of his body. He steadied himself after the slimy assault, noting a look of surprise on Aang as the bison gave him a second lick. The tension seemingly lessened by this unexpected display of affection, Zuko wiped his face and spoke once again.

"I know you must be surprised to see me."

"Not really," Sokka corrected, putting his boomerang away for the moment. "I mean, you did follow us all over the world."

"Right," Zuko remembered, feeling a bit stupid before trying again. "Well, uhh... anyway, what I wanted to tell you about is that I've changed, and I, uhh, I'm good now," his words started coming out in a rush as he continued to speak, "and… well I think I should join your group. Oh, and I can teach firebending. To you."

He looked at Aang as he said this, praying his rushed words got through. Aang seemed surprised by the offer, and the Waterbender seemed positively shocked and livid. Before Zuko could go any further, the Earthbender spoke up.

"You wanna what now?" she questioned.

"You can't possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you?" The waterbender snapped. "I mean, how stupid do you think we are?!"

"Katara's right." Sokka agreed. "All you've ever tried to do was hunt us down and capture Aang."

Zuko felt that dark voice in the back of his mind bubbling up with an 'I told you so'. He preemptively shoved it back before retorting.

"I've done some good things." He racked his brain for something before remembering Lake Laogai back in Ba Sing Se. "I mean, I freed your bison. You know, from that underwater facility beneath the lake? I could have stolen it, err, him, but I set him free. That's something."

The bison gave him a lick, as if to thank him for the save or to back up his claim. It seemed to work, because the Earthbender relaxed.

"Appa does seem to like him," She voiced.

For a brief moment, Zuko perked, a spark of hope in his eyes. There was someone in the group that was willing to hear him out, or at least wasn't dismissing him entirely. A tiny smile graced his face, but quickly vanished when Sokka spoke up.

"Forget it, Toph." He insisted. "He probably just covered himself in honey or something so Appa would lick him. I'm not buying it."

Zuko sagged, realizing just how deep the hole he had dug for himself was. They would rather believe some ridiculous story than accept the idea he'd changed. He looked away, his tone becoming solemn and sincere.

"I can understand why you wouldn't trust me, and I know I've made some mistakes in the past."

"Like when you attacked our village?" Sokka snapped, causing Zuko's eyes to widen at the memory.

"Or when you stole my mother's necklace and used it to track us down and capture us?" Katara sneered, one hand going to the aforementioned necklace on her neck.

Each shout felt like a dagger being shoved into his chest, reminding him of just how despicable he had been. He could still remember the terrified looks on the villagers' faces when he demanded to know where Aang was. He also remembered the waterbender's look of shock and pain when he showed her the necklace. He knew now it was her only memento of her mother, which made his actions all the more unforgivable.

"Look," he tried again, running his fingers through his hair as he struggled to keep his anger and despair in check, "I admit I've some awful things. I was wrong to try to capture you, and I'm sorry that I attacked the Water Tribe. And I never should have sent that Fire Nation assassin after you. I'm gonna try and stop-"

"Wait!" Sokka suddenly shouted, drawing his boomerang once more. "You sent Combustion Man after us?!"

Zuko cringed, feeling like the stupidest person in the world. He wanted to kick himself for his slip up, but instead, he forced himself to try and clear up what he'd said.

"Well, that's not his name, but-"

"Oh, sorry," Sokka interrupted, his voice dripping with angry sarcasm. "I didn't mean to insult your friend."

"He's not my friend!" Zuko let out before he could properly filter his anger.

"That guy locked me and Katara in jail and tried to blow us all up!" Toph shouted, pointing an accusatory finger right at him.

Zuko's words caught in his throat, and for a moment, there was nothing but silence. He closed his eyes, refusing to lose himself to his anger. They had every right to hate him, and he had no excuse for what he'd done. Each and every one of them had made it clear what they thought of him, and even the Earthbender, who had supported him for a brief second, was no longer on his side. He then realized that not all of them had said something and his eyes opened again, focusing on Aang.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" he questioned, getting Aang to look at him. "You once told me you thought we could be friends. You know there's good in me."

Aang glanced over at the rest of his friends, all of their expressions grim and hostile. Sokka gave him a shake of the head, his boomerang still in his grip. Aang closed his eyes, then opened them, a cold expression on his face.

"There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done." He declared. "We'll never let you join us."

"Now leave." Katara demanded. "You don't belong here."

Zuko felt the air leave him, a lump of sorrow growing hot in his throat. They'd turned him away, and made it clear there was no place for him. It hit him in that moment just how alone he was. He was a traitor to the Fire Nation, and an enemy everywhere else. There was no telling how long he'd survive on his own before he was either captured by the remnants of the Earth Kingdom, or killed by the Fire Nation. He turned to go, but his body just wouldn't obey him. Desperation won out and he turned to them again, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"I'm trying to explain that I'm not that person anymore!"

He took one step forward, and all four of them were instantly back on the defensive. Zuko froze instantly.

"Either you leave, or we attack." Sokka snapped.

Something in Zuko broke, all the life leaving him. He lowered his eyes, hanging his head in shame.

"If you won't accept me as a friend," he quietly slid to his knees, "then maybe you'll take me as a prisoner."

He offered up his hands in a gesture of submission. Suddenly, a jet of cold water collided with him, sending him flying backwards. He landed hard, drenched to the bone as he looked up. Katara had shifted out of her defensive position and was currently in the final step of an offensive attack. The look she was giving Zuko would have reduced him to ash if it had the power.

"We told you to leave." She snarled. "Get out of here and don't come back. If you do, we'll make you regret it."

Wordlessly, Zuko got to his feet and walked off, leaving a trail of water in his wake.

…

It was late by the time Zuko returned to his camp. He warmed himself up with a few puffs of his fire breath before creating a campfire, trying to dry his clothes before it got too cold. While he did this, he couldn't help but mentally replay everything that had occurred, groaning in disgust at his own ineptitude.

"I can't believe how stupid I am!" he cursed, pulling on his face slightly. "I mean, what was I thinking?! Telling them I sent an assassin after them?! Why didn't I just say Azula did that?! They would have believed that! Stupid!"

In anger, he kicked a rock, watching it fly through the trees before colliding with one, dropping to the ground.

"_What did you expect?_" that dark voice chimed in. "_You're a monster and they know it. No wonder they want nothing to do with you._"

Zuko didn't even bother shoving the voice down. Instead, he just collapsed to his knees, letting out a cry of anguish and despair. He'd never felt such overwhelming hopelessness in his life, and it was almost suffocating. His body felt like it was made of lead, and his mind was a torrent of negative thoughts and emotions. Slowly, a hand drifted to his chest, where he could feel the slight bruise from the waterbender's attack.

They hated him so much they didn't even want him as a prisoner, something he couldn't believe. After everything he'd done, after all the times he'd tricked them, kidnapped them, or captured them, he thought they'd jump at the chance to return the favor. He thought they'd feel safer if they knew he was no longer a threat.

"_You'll always be a threat,_" His dark thoughts snapped. "_You're the Fire Nation Prince. The Face of the Enemy, and that's all you'll ever be._"

Unable to handle any more, Zuko crawled into his makeshift tent. He slipped off his tunic, folding it into a pillow before laying down. There was nothing more he could do tonight, and he could only pray that tomorrow would be different.

…

It was the dead of night and Zuko had finally fallen into a fitful slumber. His campfire still crackled slightly, illuminating the camp just enough. Suddenly, Zuko was roused from sleep by the sound of rustling bushes. Instincts kicking in, he began sitting up, trying to blink sleep from his eyes.

"Who's there?" He called out.

All he got was silence, save for an ever increasing amount of rustling. He shot up, waving his arm and creating a wave of fire.

"Stay back!" he shouted, the wave washing over his camp.

"It's me!" Toph's voice suddenly shouted as a pillar of earth came out of the ground to block the attack.

The heat of the flames forced Toph back and Zuko heard the shrill sound of her screaming in pain. The following thud and the familiar stench of burnt flesh had Zuko awake in seconds. He rubbed his eyes, looking in horror as he saw Toph on her back, the bottoms of her feet an angry red color.

"You burned my feet!" She shouted.

"I'm sorry!" Zuko cried out, getting to his feet and rushing to her side. "It was a mistake!"

Toph began backing away, looking terrified out of her mind.

"Get away from me!"

As she said this, she rolled onto her stomach and began crawling away. With every move she made, she threw rocks back at Zuko. They missed him widely, her aim thrown off by what Zuko could only assume was pain and terror. Side stepping to avoid the attacks, he managed to get close to her, desperately reaching for her.

"Let me help you!" he begged, narrowly avoiding a rock aimed right at his face. "I'm sorry!"

He dodged one last rock and managed to grab Toph's shoulder. Instantly, she went ballistic, flailing in his grasp.

"Get off me! Get off me!"

He accidentally dropped her and the second she hit the ground, she sent a pillar of earth shooting upward. It collided hard with Zuko's stomach, sending him flying through the air and back into his camp. He skidded across the ground, his entire body screaming in pain and his vision swimming. He sat up as best he could, clutching his stomach as his vision cleared.

"I didn't know it was you!" he cried out, watching helplessly as Toph disappeared into the woods. "Come back!"

Once she was fully gone, the full extent of his actions hit him. The Earthbender had come to him, and had come alone. Considering her not completely hostile behavior back at the temple, chances were good she had come in peace. Now, he had attacked her, and worse, burned her. If her reaction was any indication, he had just lost any and all chance of ever being perceived as a friend.

"_Poor Zuko,_" The dark voice taunted. "_What did I tell you? You're a monster._"

It was as if the entire world was crashing down around him. Tears in his eyes, he fell backwards, screaming incoherently. His campfire shot upward like a towering flare, a testament of his rage. It then died away to nothing as his screams devolved into bitter sobs.

…

Zuko didn't remember falling asleep, only that when he opened his eyes, it was morning once again. He had not moved from where Toph had thrown him, nor did he think he would anytime soon. His attempts to win the Avatar's trust were over, and there was no salvaging the situation now. He couldn't even muster the willpower to move, not seeing a point in the action. He just stared listlessly at the now cold campfire, his eyes lifeless and dull.

As he laid there, he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. He could tell there were three people approaching his camp, and he had a very good idea of who they were. His suspicions were proven true when Aang, Katara, and Sokka came through the bushes, their respective weapons pointed at him. Zuko had just enough willpower to take note of the strange black sword in Sokka's grip that was clearly of Fire Nation design, wondering if the blade would be the last thing he saw.

"Alright Prince Jerk bender!" Sokka snapped. "Try anything, and it'll be the last thing you ever do!"

Zuko didn't even move. His eyes flicked over to where they were, but that was it. He didn't even bother sitting up. Aang noticed his lack of movement and a note of concern graced his face.

"Zuko?" He said quietly. "Are you okay?"

"Don't ask him if he's okay!" Sokka snapped. "He burned Toph's feet, remember?! We're here to take him prisoner!"

Zuko wasn't even surprised by this. He had a feeling in his gut they wouldn't let him get away with his actions. If anything, he was relieved. As a prisoner, he couldn't hurt anyone else. He wouldn't have the chance.

"Darn right we are," Katara declared. "Aang, make sure he can't move."

"I don't I need to," Aang pointed out, just looking at Zuko listless form. "I mean, look at him."

"He's probably just out of it," Sokka brushed off. "You really think Toph wouldn't escape without making sure old scar face suffered for burning her? Let's just get him tied up before he snaps out of it."

Katara nodded, taking some coils of rope that were hanging on her shoulder. She dropped them on the ground before uncorking her water skin. With an elegant flick of her wrist, she drew the water out, splashing it over the ropes and soaking them. Even in his listless state, Zuko had to give her some props for ingenuity. By soaking the ropes, she was ensuring he couldn't burn through them even if he wanted to.

"Sit up." She ordered. "Slowly, or else."

Zuko mustered the will to do as commanded, turning himself so his back was to her. Without prompting, he slid his hands behind his back, crossing his wrists. The cold ropes slithered around his wrists, tightening a bit harder than necessary. Despite his current demeanor, Zuko let out a grunt of pain, feeling the ropes digging harshly into his skin. Katara even went as far as to bind his elbows together, ensuring he couldn't move his arms at all.

"That should hold you," Katara muttered coldly.

Zuko didn't reply, not even when Sokka came and helped Katara yank him to his feet.

"I'll get him back to the temple," Sokka declared, the tip of his sword digging into the small of Zuko's back. "You two search the camp and see if you find anything dangerous."

"Just be careful, Sokka," Katara insisted. "He hurt Toph, and he'll do the same to you."

"He won't get the chance," Sokka promised.

Zuko felt the tip of the blade be removed from his back seconds before he was given a hard shove, spurring him to move. He stumbled at first, but soon began a steady pace, the tip of the sword returning to his back.

"_Congratulations,_" the dark voice commended coldly as he was marched away. "_You're finally getting what you deserve._"

Zuko just hung his head, not saying a word.


End file.
